FCA unveils strategy to transform Kenya’s food habits

Stakeholders in the nutrition sector have launched the Food Culture Alliance (FCA) Strategy 2026–2030, an ambitious roadmap aimed at reshaping societal preferences towards nutritious, sustainable, and culturally relevant foods. 

Spearheaded by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the strategy is anchored on cultural research, stakeholder dialogue, and the everyday experiences of Kenyans who continue to influence and define the country’s evolving food culture. 

Consumer Crossroads Association Director Alice Kemunto said Nairobi City County plans to establish designated street food vending zones to provide Kenyans with affordable, safe and culturally diverse traditional meals. 

Kemunto said the initiative, being implemented with Nairobi County and other stakeholders, will create structured spaces where vendors can prepare and sell indigenous foods while meeting public health standards. 

She added that the zones will support consumers who cannot afford restaurant meals, create markets for local producers and promote the consumption of traditional foods. Some meals will be prepared within the vending areas to enhance freshness and food safety. 

To strengthen hygiene standards, Kemunto said the association has partnered with public health officials to develop a food vending training manual that is being used to train vendors on safe food handling practices. 

She noted that the initiative will be able to give communities an opportunity to showcase their unique cuisines while supporting efforts under the Food Culture Alliance to revive indigenous foods, especially among young people. 

Kemunto attributed the decline in traditional food consumption to increased promotion of fast foods and called for stronger marketing of local cuisines through platforms such as television, billboards and social media. 

She added that the alliance is engaging supermarkets to create shelf space for indigenous and organic products while supporting farmers producing traditional vegetables such as ‘terere’, ‘saga’ and ‘managu’ even as discussions are also ongoing with the government on reducing taxes and levies affecting local food production. 

The initiative comes as the sector continues to push for greater consumption of indigenous foods, which they say remain an underutilized solution to addressing malnutrition and strengthening Kenya’s food systems. 

Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Deputy Country Director and Head of Programmes Dennis Mayaka said Kenya’s indigenous foods are nutritious, locally available and resilient to climate change but have not been fully embraced. 

Mayaka said Kenya’s stunting rate remains at 18 per cent, noting that improving access to nutritious diets is critical in enhancing children’s growth and national productivity. 

“We have been working with the Food Culture Alliance to promote indigenous foods because they are available, nutritious and can significantly improve nutrition outcomes across the country,” he said. 

Mayaka explained that the strategic plan will focus on engaging young people through digital platforms, including social media, to reshape food culture and encourage healthier eating habits. 

Meanwhile, Slow Food Kenya Head of Programme Samson Ngugi said his organization is working to preserve indigenous foods at risk of disappearing while making them attractive to younger generations. 

“We are promoting foods that are good for consumers, beneficial to producers and environmentally sustainable,” he added, saying the organization has been documenting indigenous foods, promoting traditional preparation methods and working through the Slow Food Cooks Alliance to reimagine traditional meals in ways that appeal to modern consumers. 

“We are trying to change how these foods look, how they are presented and even the taste so that young people, especially Gen Z, can appreciate them,” he said. 

Ngugi added that Slow Food Kenya is also running ‘Slow Food Gardens’ in schools, where learners are taught how to grow indigenous crops through agroecological practices and prepare traditional meals. 

He said the programme is helping children understand the connection between food, culture and identity while encouraging them to influence food choices at home. 

Youthful Phyllis Mburu, Senior Manager, New Business Development said that they have been working with young people because they are a key part of shaping culture and influencing what becomes normal in society. 

“By involving young people in promoting modern heritage foods, we can make these foods more attractive, desirable, and something that people look forward to consuming. Unlike the fast-food culture, we want traditional and nutritious foods to become the preferred choice and part of everyday life,” Mburu added 

The stakeholders said promoting indigenous foods will help address malnutrition, support farmers, reduce food losses and preserve Kenya’s rich culinary heritage.

By Wangari Ndirangu